Academic Planning Recommendations
- Fieldwork, whether ethnographic or archaeological, is the hallmark of Anthropology. Study abroad can give you the opportunity to participate in ethnographic or archaeological research.
- Cast a broad net; sponsoring institutions may sometimes list courses appropriate for the major under such rubrics as sociology, area studies, or international studies.
- Archaeology or biological anthropology: Consider programs such as archaeological field schools that allow you to participate in archaeological fieldwork as part of a team.
- Cultural anthropology: Consider programs such as ethnographic field schools that offer cultural integration or allow you to pursue independent ethnographic research.
- Linguistic anthropology: consider intensive language study programs as well as programs that encourage language immersion.
Liberal Education Requirements
Search the U Credit Abroad Search. You may also submit any liberal education course not yet evaluated for approval online.
Major and Minor Requirements
- The junior year can be especially apt for a semester or full-year study or for summer field camps or archeological digs.
- With the consultation of an appropriate faculty member, you can use this research as the basis for your senior project.
- Some internships abroad also offer research experience that can be used for a senior project in consultation with a faculty adviser.
College of Liberal Arts Language Requirement
Courses taken abroad for the CLA Language Requirement (for BA degrees) must be at least 4 credits. CLA college advisers can approve courses that are clearly identified in a syllabus or online course description as first-, second-, third-, or fourth-semester language courses. If a course level is not explicitly stated, you must work with your CLA adviser to have the course evaluated by the appropriate language department. Advisers cannot approve these courses.
Who will advise me and help me with course approvals?
Learning Abroad Center advisers can help you find program and course information to help you prepare for your study abroad academic planning discussion with your academic adviser. Once you have narrowed down your program options meet with Peter Harle to use the Academic Planning for Study Abroad (APSA) form to structure your academic planning.
College/Department Scholarships for UofM Students
CLA students can apply for CLA Study Abroad Scholarships in addition to other Learning Abroad Center scholarships.
Programs
Africa and the Middle East
Senegal
MSID—International Development in Senegal
- Program type: Field Study
- Academic program built around grassroots development internships. Homestays and research further enrich cultural immersion; anthropology is among the most popular majors of participants.
- Past internship placements include social work agencies, youth projects, women’s groups, orphanages, health clinics, community centers, and many more.
- Instruction is in French. Fall or Spring semester.
South Africa
University of Cape Town (available through IES South Africa)
- Program type: University Study
- Post-Apartheid South Africa is ideal for observing how differently another society defines and deals with issues of race and inequality.
- University of Cape Town is one of Africa’s leading research and teaching institutions. All Department of Social Anthropology offerings are open to program participants.
- Instruction is in English. Fall or spring semester, academic or calendar year.
Americas
Argentina
Universidad de Buenos Aires (available through IFSA Argentina)
- Program type: University Study
- Huge, prestigious institution offering something for everyone, including a rich array of course offerings in both archaeology and cultural anthropology.
- Option also available to take courses in smaller Buenos Aires universities, although none of them has a department of anthropology.
- Instruction is in Spanish. Fall or spring semester, academic or calendar year.
Chile
Universidad de Chile (available through IES Chile)
- Program type: University Study
- Anthropology course offerings focus especially on contemporary social and economic issues; interdisciplinary research efforts include Andean Studies and Easter Island Studies.
- Instruction is in Spanish. Fall or spring semester, academic or calendar year.
Ecuador
MSID—International Development in Ecuador
- Program type: Field Study
- Academic program built around grassroots development internships. Homestays and research further enrich cultural immersion; anthropology is among the most popular majors of participants.
- Past internship placements include rural women’s empowerment, literacy, public health/nutrition, sustainable agriculture, community environmental conservation, fishing or handicraft cooperatives.
- Instruction is in Spanish. Fall or Spring semester.
Asia and Oceania
Australia
James Cook University (available through IFSA Australia)
- Program type: University Study
- Two campuses, in Townsville and Cairns, both near the Great Barrier Reef on the tropical Queensland coast.
- Offers many courses in anthropology, in addition to a large multidisciplinary School of Indigenous Australian Studies.
- Fall or spring semester, academic or calendar year.
China
- Program type: Study Abroad Center
- Program name is Globalization Then and Now: Xi’an & the Silk Road. Includes two-week Silk Road field trip into Central Asia.
- Includes Chinese language study, The Silk Road Yesterday & Today, and choice of one other course in Chinese history, art history, or contemporary society and culture.
- Instruction is in English; no prior Chinese is required. Fall semester, spring semester, or summer.
Japan
IES Japan—Tokyo Society & Culture
- Program type: Study Abroad Center
- Multidisciplinary language and area studies program for students with little or no Japanese language background.
- Optional but highly recommended course on Social Organization in Japan includes a field placement of a day each week as a participant-observer with a Japanese organization.
- Instruction is in English; no prior Japanese is required. Fall or spring semester, academic year, or summer.
Japan
Sophia University (available through Exchange in Tokyo)
- Program type: University Study
- Tokyo-based Jesuit university with two campuses, one of which offers all instruction in English and draws many Japanese students who have lived abroad for extended periods of time.
- Courses available in archaeology, cultural anthropology, physical anthropology, and Asian and Japanese cultural studies among others.
- Instruction is in English; prior Japanese language study preferred but not required. Spring semester or academic year.
New Zealand
University Study in New Zealand: University of Auckland
- Program type: University Study
- New Zealand’s largest university, located in its largest city.
- Department of Anthropology offers an extensive listing of courses, many with field research components; Maori studies courses are also available.
- Instruction is in English, although some Maori studies courses are taught in Maori instead. Fall or spring semester, academic or calendar year.
Europe
France
Université Paul Valéry (available through Language & Culture in Southern France)
- Program type: University Study (there is also a Study Abroad Center track)
- Paul Valéry’s Department of Sociology and Ethnology offers such courses as Applied Ethnology, Political Ethnology, Religious Ethnology, Ethnology and History, and Ethnoarchaeology.
- Center track for students with inadequate French for university courses offers language and culture courses but no anthropology.
- Instruction is in French; one year French prerequisite for center track, two for university study track. Fall semester, spring semester, academic year, or a summer intensive language program.
Germany
- Program type: University Study
- This exchange is with Freie University of Berlin
- Berlin is the largest city in Germany with a vibrant cultural life and a rich history
- Students take courses from the university’s curriculum with German students
Ireland
National University of Ireland (available through IFSA Ireland)
- Program type: University Study
- Located in Maynooth, 15 miles west of Dublin and boasting a distinguished department of anthropology, this university provides an excellent environment for integration into Irish culture.
- Department is subdivided into specialties such as medical anthropology, economic anthropology, language and culture, anthropology of religion, and psychological anthropology.
- Fall semester, spring semester, or academic year.
Italy
- Program type: Study Abroad Center
- Area studies courses include Archeology of Ancient Rome; Archeological Excavation; Culture & Urban Change in Contemporary Italy; Community-Based Learning Seminar.
- Students with enough Italian may choose from a wider range of offerings, including in anthropology and archaeology, at either of two local universities. Internships also available.
- No prior Italian is required. Although instruction for most courses is in English, some center and university courses alike are available in Italian. Fall or spring semester, academic year, or summer.
Universitá di Bologna (available through Bologna Consortial Studies Program, BCSP)
- Program type: University Study
- UB has a strong Department of Archaeology but no Department of Anthropology; however, anthropology courses are scattered among other disciplines.
- BCSP program supplements UB courses with courses designed for US students. A pre-session intensive Italian course strengthens students' language skills before UB classes begin.
- Instruction is in Italian. Fall semester, spring semester, or academic year. (Academic year option highly recommended.)
Spain
- Program type: Study Abroad Center
- Strong humanities/social science curriculum includes two anthropology courses dealing with the Iberian Peninsula, one on archaeology and the other on ethnology and folklore.
- Internships available, as well as a community engagement course on immigrants in Spain.
- Instruction is in Spanish. Fall or spring semester, academic year, May term, or summer.
United Kingdom
University of Kent, Canterbury (available through IFSA United Kingdom)
- Program type: University Study
- University of 17,000 students in old cathedral city of Canterbury, located near English Channel and with particularly strong ties to the European community.
- Broad range of courses in excellent anthropology and archeology departments .
- Fall semester, spring semester, or academic year.
University College, London (available through IFSA United Kingdom)
- Program type: University Study
- Highly rated Department of Anthropology with sections focusing on biological anthropology, material culture, social anthropology. Department offers internships as well.
- UCL’s Institute of Archeology, distinct from Department of Anthropology, has its own set of scholars in all subfields.
- Fall semester, spring semester, or academic year.
Additional Options to Consider
- 3-week, 3-credit programs at the 3000-level led by University of Minnesota faculty and staff over winter break or May session.
- Explore an exciting location and topic, Fulfill Liberal Education requirements, or earn major/minor credit.
- Combine on-campus instruction during the spring semester with a study abroad component during spring break, on a 3 credits, 1xxx level Seminar.
- Freshman Seminars Abroad are designed specifically for first-year students as an introduction to study abroad, an opportunity to explore an exciting location and topic, and likely fulfill a liberal education requirement.
- Check out additional LAC Instructor-led Seminars that might run over winter break, spring break, May, and summer sessions. They vary in length, dates, and content so students can find one that best fits their academic and professional goals.
- Begin your language study or work toward completing requirements for a language minor.
- Complete a semester of language on a short-term program or explore options to complete two or more semesters of language on semester-long program.